The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-01-20

not tell me like an honest woman that you
loved some one else ?"
John. you know. H.
"Stopm said he. "Stnp! do not stain
your soul with any more falsehood."
You need not have married me"
went on the wretched man. "God knows
wish you had not"
She tried to put her arms about him rs
he paced to and fro in rapid strides, bat he
pushed her away angrily. mo, no more
OF that. That has lost lis charm"
Mildred burst into tears.
81 never-would-have- - believed
you would-be-so-so--cruel," sobbed
she. What-have done?"
Done p shouted the exasperated
man, "done? Why, you have spoiled the
lite Of an honest man, who dotted on you,
believed in you-like Q trusting fool
who would have risked his life on your
honesty -
"Stop," said Mildred, and she gathered
herself up to fuller height than Johns
eyes had ever before beheld in her. Size,
too, was angry now.
eff You have charges to make demand
that they be definite, and not in base innu-
endo. You are very cruel and also very
insulting to me. I shall not remain in
this house tonight; nor return to it un-
til you have apologised" And she swept
from the room and from Johns astonished
sight.
A moment later he heard the messenger
call, then heard his wife give an order for
cab, then saw her packing q handbag.
He intended doing 40 himself But some
how having heard her do them was in
finitely harder to bear.
Mildred was very angry. "Not q
thing of his" she said to herself as she
stripped off her rings and gathered her
trinkets. "My purse, too," she thought,
and went to the desk to find it. Her Rus-
band had been watching for this. He
knew she wonld try to secure that let.
ter.
"Oh," said he, "you are q little too
late. You should have thought of that
before
These, to her, unmeaning words, ut
tered with much concentrated bitterness.
made her seriously doubt hia sanity. She
looked at him curiously. How else could
she construe this incomprehensible fury !?
she pursued. The thought had calmed
her resentment. She went to his side,
placed her hand kindly on his arm " My
dear john said she, will you explain
to me what all this means %
He felt touched, and oh, how he longed
to take her to his heart but that could
never be again.
Will you first explain to me-" he an
swered, trying to be hard and cold "ex-
PLAIN to me where you were yesterday ?"
Certainly he is mad" she thought,
and she tried to be very calm.
"Ah, yes" he went on, "you can look
very innocent, but, woman, look at that. -
and with tragic gestures he held up the
paper.
Mildred looked at it bewiIdered: then
she read, "Dear Frank" A CLEAN of
light first came into her face, and grad
ually deepened into expression of inter-
est and amusement. She understood it
all.
John looked to see her crushed, despair
ing and peuitent and instead he wit
messed this unaccustomed, this extraordi.
nary change, and laughter-peal after
peal OF silvery laughter--rang out through
the rooms. She tried to speak, but could
not.
John in his turn began to think that
she was mad. At last, with tears rolling
down her cheeks, not from grief this time,
she said:
"Oh, you dear silly-silly thing. Oh,
you dear goose-that's my story-and l
was going to surprise you-and bring
you ever-ever 80 much money--and now
you have gone-and spoiled "-and here
she began to cry in earnest. "And -
you - have said such - crael-cru-
Her sobs, together with Johns great
enfolding arms, stifed the rest. aOh,
my angel, my angel, l have been such q
brute. Can you ever forgive me pr
Ne,o York Graphic.